Reasons
by HoneyCaramel
Summary: A series of unrelated one-shots, drabbles and more, explaining the reasons behind certain ways that characters act. Mostly centered around Merlin- not always though. Rated K and up because I mentioned alcohol, and kids trying to murder someone...
1. Clumsy

**Summary: One shots, drabbles and more, explaining the reasons behind certain ways characters act. Mostly centered around Merlin- not always though.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin. If I did, then I wouldn't be here, writing fanfiction, now would I?**

Reasons

Clumsy (Double Drabble):

Merlin is clumsy. _Very_ clumsy. He trips over stairs, clothing, and even air! All the people that work in the castle know this, but nobody knows why. If you ask Arthur, he'll say that Merlin is just an idiot. If you ask Gaius, he'll tell you that the boy has better things to worry about. If you ask Merlin, he'll tell you it was one of his natural gifts.

Only Merlin and Kilgharrah know the truth. Like Elena, there's something inside that causes him to be clumsy. For Elena, it was a sidhe inside of her. For Merlin, it was his magic. There's so much power inside; he can barely stand!

Gaius isn't wrong either. Merlin has to worry about Arthur's safety, his own safety, Camelot's safety, chores to do, and to not let large amounts of magic escape his body. If he loses focus on that, he might just cause the citadel to crumble, accidentally.

The magic inside tries to get out with each step he takes, and just trying to keep it in is distracting enough, even if it's second nature to Merlin.

There's your answer. The reason Merlin is so clumsy, is because he is so powerful.

 **A/N: Prompts/Requests are always welcome! It doesn't have to make much sense!**


	2. Tavern

Tavern (One-Shot):

"Where is he, Gaius?" Arthur demanded. Merlin was supposed to be helping the king prepare for the feast, after all, he was the king's manservant. He always disappeared at times like these.

Lying, something he does well, Gaius replied, "I believe he is at the tavern, Sire."

Walking out of the physician's chambers, Arthur muttered, "I swear, he is always at the tavern when I need him."

In all truth, Merlin never goes to the tavern unless he is with the knights. Even then, he rarely goes, unless he is ordered to by the king himself. At this moment, Merlin was going off to stop a griffin from hurting people.

Now, you might wonder why Gaius continually uses the excuse of Merlin being at the tavern instead of a different excuse. He could say that Merlin was helping people at an outlying village recover from a sickness, he could say that Merlin was collecting herbs, he could say anything, but he nearly always says the tavern.

It wasn't because he wanted the boy to get in trouble, he already does that quite well by himself. Arthur was starting to think that Merlin is a drunk that's always at the tavern during his free time, even though Gwaine and every person that works at the tavern claims the man never comes unless escorted by the knights.

Once, Arthur and his knights checked every tavern in Camelot, just to find Merlin, who was gone for three days in a row. When they didn't find Merlin, Arthur came to Gaius to ask where he was. He feigned ignorance.

When Arthur asked which tavern Merlin always goes to, Merlin said "The Rising Sun".

Because of that, the next time Gaius said that Merlin was in the tavern, Arthur went to check himself. Everybody there claimed that they've only seen Merlin when he was with Arthur and the knights.

So, when Arthur asked which tavern Merlin went to, again, and was told "The Rising Sun" again, he knew that Merlin was hiding something. Because of that, Arthur made the punishments for "going to the tavern" more and more severe. It escaped his notice that Merlin always looked exhausted and was often injured when he returned from his so called "trips".

That was all besides the point. The reason why Gaius always said that Merlin was in the tavern was because of a few things.

1\. Merlin never goes to the tavern, and Gaius wished he did so more often. The boy was always on guard, and he wanted his ward to be more carefree, more often.

2\. He wanted to see just how thick Arthur was. It really was a stupid reason, but Gaius wanted to see if Arthur genuinely believed that Merlin went to the tavern. He wanted to see if the king would ever look for Merlin.

3\. This was a little spiteful, but since Merlin always caused him trouble, forcing him to lie, he actually _did_ want Merlin to get into trouble. You know what they say, "What goes around, comes around."

4\. He hoped that Merlin would stop going on these adventures so frequently, and only go when there was a direct threat to the kingdom, king, or Merlin himself. It was worrisome, truly, that Merlin would get hurt so often, but not have the time to heal properly. Of course, Merlin's magic was more than enough to fix his ward quickly, but that didn't mean he should be doing strenuous work during the meantime.

Until the day comes that magic is openly accepted in Camelot, and Merlin doesn't have to hide behind stupid excuses when he goes on a dangerous mission for the benefit of others, Gaius would feel a little guilty. Guilty because he was lying to the king, and Merlin was the one paying the consequences.


	3. Unicorn

Unicorn (Drabble):

The unicorn, why did it approach Merlin? Why didn't they go away when shooed? Why did it bring a curse upon Camelot with their death? The answers are obvious!

Unicorns are attracted to those of pure heart. They felt drawn to the pureness of Merlin, as he did to them. They didn't want to leave the beauty of his heart.

When they were killed, the Triple Goddess herself was furious. To kill such purity, shows your lack of it. In a way, you had to appease the goddess, prove your purity, for the world to return to its former state.

 **A/N: Remember, these are just random explanations that I came up with. I might even do a few chapters about behaviours that weren't even mentioned in the show. Some will be backstories I made.**


	4. Feelings

Feelings (One-Shot):

Merlin had a funny feeling, starting at his chest and spreading outwards. He voiced this (only the 'funny' feeling part) to Arthur, who was rather recklessly going through the Valley of the Fallen Kings.

"Oh stop being such a _girl_ , Merlin!"

' _Idiot,_ ' Merlin thought. When was he ever wrong about this sort of thing? Never, that's when. Plus, practically every time they were here, something bad happened. It's like bandits came with the place!

The feeling enveloped his whole body, morphing from a tingling sensation to a stinging one. The danger was getting closer. He could _literally_ feel it. He never knew why-

His train of thoughts were cut to an abrupt halt when the stinging escalated into a painful _burning._ It wasn't bad enough to warrant a scream, but it was definitely enough to grit your teeth and tighten your hands into fists.

Five seconds later, it happened.

Bandits came rushing out of the trees, screaming a war cry in an attempt to scare them. The moment this occurred, the feeling disappeared, likely realising it failed to get Merlin away from the danger. If Arthur wasn't there, he could probably just knock all of them out with no more than a flash of his eyes, but sadly, the prince _was_ there. Sword fighting it is.

 _Clink! Swoosh! Clang! Thud. Thud. Thud. Squelch._ This went on for a while. He and Arthur were quite easily getting them on the ground with their teamwork. Arthur would heavily incapacitate them, and then Merlin would hit them down. Sometimes it went the other way; whichever worked. The occasional clumsy bandit or amazingly lucky falling tree branch also helped.

After the battle was over (the duo won), Merlin started tending to their wounds.

Silence reigned for a few minutes while Merlin meticulously cleaned and wrapped a wound on his prince's arm. Annoyed by the smugness radiating off of the man, Arthur snapped, "When are you going to say it?"

Funnily enough, Merlin looked genuinely confused.

"When are you going to say 'I told you so'?" he pressed.

This served to make the manservant look even more confused. "Why would I say that?"

"Because you were right."

At this, he cocked an eyebrow (' _a trait picked up from Gaius for sure'_ Arthur thought) and asked, "Are you admitting you were wrong?"

Embarrassed, Arthur defended, "Just because you were right doesn't mean I was wrong!"

Merlin raised both of his eyebrows at this. You could see the amusement in the eyes of his disbelieving face. Shaking his head, he said nothing and finished working on his master's arm, then started on his own leg, which bore a shallow cut.

"How did you even know?"

"Know what, Arthur?" Merlin responded without looking up from his leg.

"How did you know about the bandits?"

"I didn't," came the quick and honest answer.

Pointing an accusatory finger at his manservant, Arthur spluttered, "Wh- What are you talking about! You said you had a funny feeling, you acted all- all _weird_ when I didn't listen, and then- and then _bandits_ came out!"

A shrug of shoulders was the only answer given.

"Plus, every time you said you had a _funny feeling_ there was someone there!" he continued.

"If you can work that bit out, why can't you just listen to me when I say 'I have a funny feeling'? Should I say 'bad feeling' instead? Would that get the point across?"

Silence. Seconds passed. Arthur was trying very hard to create a comeback that Merlin _wouldn't_ be able to turn around on him. That happened more often than he could admit while still having his ego intact.

Finally. "Oh _shut up_ , _Mer_ lin!"

"Ouch, I don't think I'll ever be able to recover from that display of wit."

The sun was setting by the time they got back, and as soon as they did, Gaius had them in his chambers, getting every little scrape examined.

"This is _your_ fault," Merlin grumbled to Arthur.

"How is it _my_ fault?" he demanded indignantly.

"You led us into the Valley of the Fallen Kings! 'No bandits will try to attack us here! The superstitions will ward them off!'"

Then came Gaius' yell. "YOU WENT INTO THE VALLEY OF THE FALLEN KINGS AGAIN?!"

"Good job, Merlin."

"I can't take all of the credit. You were as much a part of this as me."

"So you're admitting that it was also _your_ fault, and not just mine?"

 _Whack!_ Merlin's palm smacked against his own face. Why did Arthur have to be so annoying?

Later, when Arthur had left, Merlin turned to his mentor and asked, "Do you know why I get the funny feelings?"

"What funny feelings?"

"You know, the feeling I get when I'm being watched. It's like an alarm for danger," Merlin explained impatiently.

"Does it only work for humans?"

"No. Well, if I'm being watched, it only applies for humans watching me. But for danger, it doesn't matter what kind of creature it is."

"Hmm. I would have to guess it's your magic."

"No really?"

"If you're going to be like that, ask Kilgharrah."

"Fine."

After _totally_ _discreetly_ calling for him, the dragon landing in front of Merlin.

"You called, young warlock?"

"Yeah. Do you know why my magic acts like an alarm?"

Kilgharrah looked unamused to say the least. "Of course I do."

"..."

"..."

"Well, would you please _tell_ me?"

"Alright; since you asked politely. You are aware that others can often feel it when something is dangerous or someone is watching them?"

"Sure, but it's not too strong of a feeling. Sometimes, they can feel it; sometimes, they can't."

"What about animals other than humans?"

"Their ability to sense danger is uncanny."

"Being a creature of magic, you are more like the other animals than humans," he cast a look to stop Merlin from interrupting, "The ability to sense these things is much stronger in you. Your magic can sense other livings things as well, especially if they exude emotions that are not particularly good for your well-being, such as hunger for humans or a greed for money. And finally, your sense is sharpened by your magic."

"Hmm, interesting. Thanks."

"Not that I am upset at spending time with you, but could you try to call me for more important reasons? It is a rather long flight, and I value my sleep."

"Fine..."


	5. Neckerchief

Neckerchief (Double-Drabble):

I look into the mirror as I get changed. I'm already wearing the rest of my clothing, but something makes me pause as I reach up to tie my neckerchief around my neck. I trace the jagged white line from beneath my jaw to my collarbone using my finger. It was long ago, when those ruthless village kids attacked me. I remember the indescribable pain as the blade sunk into my skin. I remember the incapacitating fear, leaving me unable to do more than weakly struggle against their combined strength. I remember how they intentionally kept the slice shallow enough to make sure I die painfully, so in a short time, I'd be glad for the sweet release of death. I remember the red, as I covered the wound with my hands. So much red. Thank the Goddess that the druids found me. I don't want to think about what would've happened otherwise. I notice the pinks of dawn have faded away into the light blues of day. I need to start work soon. I tie the cloth around my neck. With one final look into the mirror, I leave. No one needs to know. No one needs to see.

 **A/N: This is written differently than I usually do, but I feel like second-person is much more intense than other perspectives. I've always thought that Merlin's neckerchief hid something...**

 **Update: Sadly, I've just realised that using second-person is not allowed, according to the site rules. So, I've changed it to be first-person. I'm sorry if you don't like it as much, but as long as I use this website, I will abide by its rules.**

 **To read it as it was originally, just replace "I" and "me" with "you", "my" with "your", "I'm" with "you're", and "I'd" with "you'd".**


	6. Riddles

Riddles (Double-Drabble):

"Why do you always have to talk in riddles?" Merlin asked exasperatedly while walking away, already knowing he won't get an answer.

 _Why_ did he talk in riddles? Kilgharrah thought it was obvious. How could it not be? He had been alive for over a thousand years, trapped in a cave beneath a castle in a magic-hating kingdom for the last twenty of them. He was bound to get bored.

The Great Dragon always knew that Emrys would wander into that castle; he knew it since the day that the Once and Future King was conceived. He also knew that Emrys would find him, or more, that he would _make_ Emrys find him. And that although he knew the general path of destiny and the people involved, that he couldn't tell him everything. With all the time he had, Kilgharrah made up an answer to any question Emrys may have; confusing answers, thus ensuring that he wouldn't give too much away.

The day that Emrys, known as Merlin among the common folk, entered the castle, Kilgharrah knew it was time. Finally, he would have some fun!

' _Merlin...'_

 _'Merlin...'_

Confusing the warlock quickly became his favourite pass-time.

 **A/N: Yes, I know I haven't updated in a while, but here iis a new chapter for you! Suggestions for new chapters are welcome!**


	7. Sense

Sense (One-Shot):

The cloaked figures shifted, simultaneously excited and terrified. Their tattoos tingled and the warmth of the purest of magic rushed through their bodies, starting from their ink triskelions. It could mean only one thing: Emrys was nearby. But Emrys was always with the Once and Future King, who still did not allow magic in his land. The clattering of hooves hitting the nearby dirt path had them all ducking into their tents, where they would not be spotted so easily.

The horses rode past, not once slowing down as they did so. Emrys kept going as well. They could feel his magic leaving with him, though a faint energy remained for a few minutes. Their tattoos no longer tingled, and the warmth provided by his magic was gone. Still, everyone was jovial. It was the hope of every druid to be even _just_ close enough to feel his presence, his magic. Even if they could not meet him, they could sense him.

 **A/N: Yes, I do realise it's been a while. I've been busy, but I should be able to stick to the Thursday updates from now on. Yes, I do realise that today is not Thursday. Just think of this as a late update. And yes, I do realise that this is a short one-shot. I thought it would be better to keep it as it is, instead of adding 38 words.**


	8. Alcohol

Alcohol (One-Shot):

Merlin didn't drink. He couldn't afford it, and it wasn't just his status of 'Poor' that he was thinking about. He couldn't afford it if he wanted to keep his secret; stay alive. The last time he got drunk was when he was fifteen, in Ealdor.

 _Will and Merlin were in the forest, the former brandishing a large pitcher that definitely wasn't filled with water._

 _"Come on Merlin, just a sip!"_

 _The warlock reluctantly reached for the container and drank the ale. It didn't exactly taste good, but it wasn't bad. He didn't feel any different._

 _"See, that wasn't so hard," his friend joked, and took a gulp of his own._

 _They kept drinking little by little for the next thirty minutes. Merlin felt a little drunk, but more than that, he felt his control over his magic weakening. He didn't pay this much mind though, and put it to his drowsiness._

 _Twenty minutes more, and they downed the last of the drink. By then, Merlin kept causing rocks to jump around and stop falling mid-air. Will thought it was on purpose and enjoyed the show, but in reality, Merlin was having trouble keeping his magic contained. He also was talking a lot, and would have been giving away his secrets, if not for the fact that Will already knew all of them._

 _Fifteen more minutes, and more alcohol digested, making its way into the bloodstream and causing the warlock to become more drunk. Somehow, this made Merlin start babbling away- in the Old Tongue. Luckily, he didn't accidentally incant any spells. By then, his friend was worried._

 _He went back to the village, got Merlin some food to eat to sober up, and then brought him back. Unfortunately, Hunith had noticed her son's less-than-sober state. Fortunately, she waited until the next day to give them the talking-down of their lives. Unfortunately, Merlin and Will were hungover, so every word caused their heads a sharp pain._

Merlin didn't drink after that. Knowing that just a small amount more than a glass of wine was enough to start losing control over his magic. He wasn't about to get sent to the gallows because of an ill-advised drink. He wasn't _that_ stupid.

 **A/N: So... This is late... Whoops! In my defense, I rewrote this today, and wrote another version yesterday... Yeah, not a great excuse, eh? Anyways, I know this a short one-shot, but so was my last one-shot. I can't have been the only one to notice Merlin's abstinence in regards to alcohol.**


	9. Hunting

Hunting (Drabble):

What joy does Arthur find in hunting innocent animals? The deer didn't attack him; the pheasants stayed away from him; the unicorn wasn't going to hurt anybody. I hate hunting. I can feel the life in the animals when they're near me. I can feel it leave them when Arthur shoots. It doesn't hurt me physically, but it still hurts. Animals are drawn to me; to my magic. They trust me to keep them safe. Sometimes I succeed in scaring them away; away from doom. But when I fail, I hurt; feel the warmth of life fade away. It hurts.

 **A/N: Hey! I'm running low on ideas for chapters! Suggestions are appreciated!**


	10. Immortality

Immortality:

The Great Dragon spewed fire, burning most of the Knights of Camelot, including Sir Leon. His flesh seared, the pain unbearable. It was so hot he thought he was going to melt. He slipped into darkness. Death was coming for him. Sir Leon was going to give in to the inevitable fate when three feminine voices whispered, " _It is not yet your time. Your destiny has not been fulfilled; you must continue supporting the Once and Future King. Awaken."_

A warmth spread through his body, and Sir Leon sat up abruptly, immediately feeling his injuries acting up. He was definitely burnt and in pain, but he wasn't charred or mottled, even though he could see all his fellows were. Slowly, he stood, and seeing the remains of his horse, started to walk back to Camelot. He wasn't sure what happened. The last thing he remembered was the pain as the Great Dragon burnt him, his friends, and the horses. Why was he the only one alive? Sir Leon spared a moment to remember the , Sir Leon recalled a voice. He dismissed the thought as delusions of the dying, and continued home. His prince needed his support. Somehow, he knew.

 **A/N: This** _ **might**_ **be the last chapter of this fanfic. Also, I know that Emrys means 'immortal'; I hope I didn't confuse anyone by the title...**


	11. Aithusa

Aithusa:

Something about him seemed oddly familiar to Aithusa. The voice he spoke with, the care he peered at her with, it was all so familiar. Why? She didn't know. Her earliest memory was of curing Morgana.

She had seen something worth saving in the lady. Morgana may be merciless towards humans, but she truly cared about other living beings. Aithusa innately knew that she was meant to help Morgana, to be her 'light of the sun'. Without knowing what would come of their bond, she healed the lady.

But back to the matter at hand. The man had hair as dark as the prison she was kept in for so long, with blue eyes the colour of the taunting sky she watched longingly from the same place. His eyes held none of the cruelness that the sky did during those days, just confidence and caring. So familiar. But she didn't remember him. She tried to attack, but he easily shielded with magic before giving her a command in the dragon tongue. She stopped attacking. He was a dragon lord. Hers, as she could sense he was the only one left. So that's why she recognised him. But he had abandoned her. Her dragon lord abandoned her.

Morgana had stuck by her through it all. Tried to protect Aithusa. Had loved her. Where was he this whole time? No matter. He had chosen to desert her. Sure, he seemed nice now, but she was already crippled. There were few people horrible enough to be cruel when she was clearly disadvantaged. He asked her what happened, claimed he wouldn't harm her. He didn't understand anything Aithusa grumbled, as she couldn't truly speak. Her lack of dragon companions prevented her from picking up that skill. It was the job of a fellow dragon to teach such a thing to the young ones, as she naturally knew. But she had been trapped, imprisoned, abandoned by all but Morgana.

Her lord told her to leave, potentially in fear for her. When she didn't, he commanded her. Aithusa did as commanded, wondering if her lord really was that bad. She shook the thought away quickly. He should've helped her when she needed help. He shouldn't have deserted her. But he had, and she wasn't about to do the same to her friend. She would be Morgana's light of the sun.

 **A/N: This is my take on Aithusa, in general. If any of you are wondering, the reason she never called for Merlin, other than the fact she didn't know how to, is that he was too far away to contact through mind.**

 **Update: I can't think of anything else to explain which either doesn't have an obvious explanation already or seems to be plot convenience. This is the last chapter for the foreseeable future. Thanks to everyone who read these!**


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